Denver WRs : Eddie Royal in the slot?

Coachnorm

Coachnorm

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Hopefully you early drafters have been listening to Remote Controller.

(Rotoworld) Coach Josh McDaniels has always seen Eddie Royal as a slot receiver, according to ESPN's Bill Williamson. McDaniels clearly didn't see the 5'10/182 Royal as a slot man last year, but the third-year receiver is reportedly working out of the slot this offseason. With Jabar Gaffney, Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker better fits as wideouts, perhaps Royal will actually be used in the slot this year. Regardless, we're keeping expectations low and Royal is nothing more than a late-round flier.
 
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I can't claim anything other than finding this breakdown and bringing it here.

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Orton threw 541 passes, 6th most(!) in the league.

Here's how the targets broke down
Marshall - 154
Gaffney - 87
Royal - 79
Scheffler - 50
Graham - 43
Moreno - 41
Buckhalter - 38
Stokley - 33
Misc - 29

There is quite a bit of opportunity for targets as 204 of them left town with Marshall & Scheffler. It seems that Gaffney, Royal or D. Thomas will see an unexpected number of passes. I guess it comes down to how you break down the expected targets this year and how many more or less passes you think Denver will throw this year.

It seems to me that barring a rebound from Eddie Royal (not out of the question) that Gaffney will get the most targets on the team. What will he do with them? I don't know. However, in the 13th round I think the Gaffney presents quite a bit of upside given the volume of passes that can come his way.
Here's what i will go with. I'm sure there are some holes in my logic...

115 targets which would be 22nd or so last year (Davone Bess territory)
59% reception rate (last year 62%)
68 catches
12.8 y/c, rough average of last 4 years
868 yards
6 TDs - maybe too optimistic

That would have made him WR27 last year. Current ADP has him at WR53-so yeah he sounds like quite a bargain to me.
 
I think Royal suffered from the QB change profoundly, and I think Orton and he never fully "clicked", add to this McDaniels general misuse of Royal and you get a guy who never met expectations (I called this by the way).

If they use him in the slot AND he and Orton can start clicking just a bit, there is no reason he cannot emerge as a tangible weekly FF starter....
 
He killed more than a few I know that. I had argued vehemently against taking him before round 6, was roundly lambasted for the stance. I suspect people now understand what I was trying to explain...
 
I have mentioned it before, and it was one thing (yeah just 1) I was right about last year. Royal is talented, and Cutler could exploit all he offered. That incredible rookie season was dotted with quick shots between the coberage. They were cannon shots! Those throws that Cutler was pasting in little windows just can't be matched by Orton. Orton needs to go over top or face a "clean" out or slant. If there is traffic, he needs a guy Marshall to bring it in. Demaryius will aid him but that connection will take time. This season, especially early, it will be Gaffney who Orton finds often.


There it is again people .....GAFFNEY :runaround:
 
Broncos | Rookie WR Decker working at Fitzgerald's camp Sat Jul 10, 03:21 PM
Arnie Stapleton, from the Associated Press, reports Broncos rookie receiver Eric Decker, is participating in Larry Fitzgerald's star-studded camp this week. "I'm a little nervous and I'm anxious because I'm back to football, I'm back playing, I'm done in the training room and that's exciting to me," Decker said. "It's still a day-to-day thing and the training staff is helping me to move along and progress at a very good rate. I feel comfortable every day so that's the best I can say."
Our view: Decker was considered by many in the scouting community to be the best possession receiver in the entire 2010 NFL Draft class. He is a tough player who is not afraid to catch passes over the middle of the field. Decker also has a knack for finding the soft spot in a zone, and could develop into a fine #2 receiver someday. The Broncos are expecting Decker and fellow rookie Demaryius Thomas to be their starting WR duo in the near future. We'll see how Decker looks in training camp as he continues to recover from a Lisfranc injury he suffered last year.
 
I was just reading this RC. Thanks for the info!

Decker sounds like the perfect possession type receiver that Denver needs. I won't forget his name heading into spring training.
 
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